Reviews

To Throw Away Unopened by Viv Albertine

annereadsalot's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.25

groadie's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional fast-paced

5.0

hannahsimpson's review

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

momey's review against another edition

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5.0

she is one of the best current memoirists

lop73's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

christinede3e1's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

5.0

katiecatbooks's review against another edition

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5.0

Memoir. Child of divorce. Caring for elderly parent.

Story: Viv's memoir begins after the death of her mother and then jumps to a memory of her moving into her own apartment with her daughter after her divorce. The narrative continues in circles eventually coming full close at her mother's death.

Lamguage: Each chapter begins with bolder text set in the recent present and relating to her mother's final days. After this follows plain text featuring stories from her past featuring her mother growing up or her relationships. The book also contains B&W photographs relating to items or places from her past.

Characters: While names have been changed, this memoir focuses on Viv's mother, father, sister, daughter and other relationships with men from her past.

I'd never heard of Liv Albertine before I picked up this book and only vaguely aware of her band The Slits. In the end it didn't matter as this is a book not about music or her life in a band, but about an adult woman trying to take care of her dying mother, sort through her (divorced) father's history, all while trying to raise a teenage daughter and work. Unexpectedly page-turning and gripping, this is a memoir of many generations.

likehoneyandtrombones's review against another edition

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emotional sad slow-paced

3.25

Extremely slow, but lovely reflection on her relationship with her mother that resonated so deeply. I should have read her first book first probably lol

dinahrachel's review against another edition

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4.0

Exactly what the book description says. Ordering her other book immediately. And hoping she is writing another.

oofuss's review against another edition

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emotional funny inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

5.0